74 
The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [April 
and others. Angas tells us how, soon after the first horse acquired by 
the Taupo natives arrived at the lake, every plank and piece of fair- 
surfaced timber in the district was covered with drawings of the animal— 
“ Rude charcoal drawings of men on horseback, of a really humorous 
character, and very droll : some were represented standing upon their 
heads, and all were beating the horses, which appeared very unwilling 
to go.” 
We may now conclude that the use of knotted cords as aids to memory 
by the natives of Polynesia tends to show that the race had no knowledge 
of any form of script. If ever, in remote times, the ancestors of the Maori 
knew of such a boon, then it has been discarded, or lost, for many 
generations. This is a factor that must be taken into account when 
endeavouring to locate the old homeland of the race, and in haling it, as 
some writers do, from south-eastern Asia at a period when written language 
must have been known there. 
CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY OF THE FROZEN-MEAT 
INDUSTRY.* 
By A. M. Wright, A.I.C., F.C.S., Chief Chemist, New Zealand Refrigerating 
Company (Limited). 
PART I. 
Introduction. 
The frozen-meat industry is not a single industrial or manufacturing unit, 
but an amalgamation of many and varied industries, with the problems 
and difficulties of a municipality added. In addition to the freezing and 
cold storage of meats, there is involved the preparation and manufacture 
of canned meats, meat-extracts, edible fats, tallow, fertilizer materials, 
mixed fertilizers, wool, pelts, hides, and casings, besides the problems of 
water-supply and sewage-disposal. 
When viewed in this light the magnitude of the operations connected 
with the frozen-meat industry presents problems towards the solving of 
which every science has some contribution to offer. 
In this review it is proposed to consider chiefly the principles involved 
rather than to discuss in detail the methods of conducting the manufacturing 
processes. References are made to the literature which may be consulted 
by those who wish fuller information upon the subjects discussed. 
Slaughter Tests. (12, 13, 15.)t 
In order to show the nature and diversity of the various products and 
by-products derived from sheep, lambs, cattle, and pigs the results of certain 
slaughter tests are given. It should be understood, however, that, while 
the data now presented represents the results of actual tests, they may 
not be applicable to every case ; they do, on the other hand, afford some 
general idea of the relative proportions of the various materials derived 
from stock after slaughter. 
* The author desires to express his thanks to the New Zealand Refrigerating 
Company (Limited) for permission to publish this article, 
f See “ Literature cited,” p. 83. 
